She's Just Like Me
by LKHanamura
Summary: Toshiro is ordered to protect Rin until those after her are dead. He did not bet on falling in love with her, or her in love with him. But knowing that he can't live without her, what will his reaction be when he finds out that his twin brother is the one after the woman that he loves?
1. Chapter 1

Ichigo stood with his now 16 year old twin sisters in the Soul Society. He felt pride that they were making not only him, but his sisters full-fledged Soul Reapers. He was assigned to Juushiro's squad. Karin to Byakuya's, and Yuzu was to Uohana's. No surprise there with the way that she likes to take care of everyone.

He cast a glare at his father who stood with the other captains. While he was still aloud to keep his Captain robe, and all the powers that go along with it, but he was still angry with him. He couldn't believe that not only was his father a Soul Reaper living in a gigai, but his mother as well! 'Still don't understand why Yuzu, Karin and myself were all born human though.'

Yamamoto glared as he looked at Ichigo who was clearly not thinking about what he was going to be doing now that they were full Soul Reapers like he was explaining to all of them. "Ichigo Kurosaki. Do you know so much about being a Soul Reaper during your time as a substitute that you do not feel the need to listen to me?"

Ichigo turned a confused face to him. "It isn't that Captain Yamamoto. I get what you are saying. Me and my sisters need to learn Kido. Once we do that then we will be given a seat in each of our squads. After that is when we will learn what our responsabilities are to our squads but there is one thing that I am not getting in this whole situation."

"And what is that?"

"Yuzu, Karin, and myself have all been born human. Even though our parents were both full Soul Reapers. How was that possible?"

Kisuke stepped up and smiled. "I can answer that one. You see most gigai like what you have seen up until now have been artificial bodies for Soul Reapers to wear in the world of the living to converse with humans. The ones that your parents had were different. Once they were in their gigai for at least five years then the Soul Reaper wearing that, their soul fuses with it. They retain their powers to sense spiritual pressures and a few other abilities. But they can't just pop out of it with soul candy or a badge. They become human."

"That makes sense actually. But now another question for you Mr. Hat and Clogs. Why is it that my dad is a Soul Reaper again if he fused with his gigai and became human?"

"Well that gigai I made when I was still head of Research and Development. And when they demoted me, I had not perfected it yet. It would only last for fifteen years after the fusion was complete. Then it would reject the soul that fused with it in the first place. Basically, spitting your dad back out as a Soul Reaper!" Then groaned when Isshin was there smacking him into the ground. "Now come on Isshin. Did you really have to do that?"

Ichigo sighed as he looked down. "That means that our mother would have been a Soul Reaper by now too right?"

Isshin crossed his arms and sighed. "That's right. I will tell the story of how your mother and I met and how we came to live in the world of the living another day. Right now you need to pay attention."

Karin crossed her arms and turned her back to everyone pulling a glare from her father. "What is there to listen to anymore? Ichigo already summed it up. We are full-fledged Soul Reapers and are now assigned to squads in the 13 Court Guard Squads. We gotta learn how to do Kido from someone in the squad, then take an exam to see what seat we got. How hard is that to do really?"

Yuzu sighed as she dropped her head. "I am sorry Head Captain. My sister and brother can be rather stubborn at times."

Yamamoto nodded. "It is good to know at least one of your children has a brain Isshin. A trait I am sure that she got from her mother."

Karin and Ichigo both give Yamamoto an eyebrow twitch. Ichigo then looked over at his dad. "Yeah well you should try to live in the same house as him and have him treat you like he did me."

"I started that after your mother died so that you would buck up and get a grip."

"I don't care why you did it, it still drove me cazy!"

"Oh get over it!"

"What if I don't want too!"

Karin glared over at them. "And they are both supposed to be adults?"

Yuzu gave her twin a glare herself. "Yeah well you know you aren't acting any better than Ichigo now and days Karin."

"Who asked you Yuzu? Anyway Captain Yamamoto, are you going to decide who gets to teach us Kido or is it up to the captain of our squads?"

Yamamoto sighed. "That will up to the captain of each squad to decide who teaches you kido. Since this is not going anywhere anyway, that is all for now. You all know what to do." Then he turned and walked away along with his Lieutenant.

Ichigo glared around him. "I swear. So Juushiro, I mean Captain Ukitake who gets to teach me how to use Kido?"

Juushiro smiled. "I think I know the perfect person who can teach you Kido Ichigo."

"Who?"

"Someone else in my squad that you know very well."

"Really? Who is that?"

"Me you idiot!"

Ichigo flinched and turned around to see Rukia standing there with her arms crossed. His eye twitched then he turned to Juushiro. "You can't be serious! I forgot all about her being on your squad! Why does she have to teach me!"

Rukia glared as she walked up to him and kicked him in his back. "Because I am the only one who can make your dumbass listen! No one else put up with your stupidity like I can!"

"What the hell! You are the one that is hard to put with!"

"Is that right?"

"That's right!"

Rukia didn't say anything else just jumped up and kicked him in the face and then glared when she landed. "Just shut up and do as you are told. I swear."

Byakuya sighed as he turned and walked away. "Karin. Come."

Karin nodded as she followed him. "Captain Kuchiki who is it that is going to show me how to use Kido?"

"My Lieutenant. Renji Abarai."

"You don't talk much do you?"

"I speak when I need to."

Karin sighed as she closed her eyes. "Well that is a good thing. I would rather have someone get to the point than have explanations that last an hour like Urahara."

Yuzu sighed. Ichigo was fighting with Rukia while their captain laughed about it. Her father was arguing with Mr. Urahara. "Oh man. I am glad that I am now with them."

"Yuzu Kurosaki."

Yuzu turned around to find a woman with gentle eyes standing there. Her hair braided down the front of her body. "Yes Ma'am. You are Captain Uohana I presume?"

Uohana nodded. "I am. Come with me child. I shall teach you Kido myself." Then she turned and walked off.

Yuzu smiled as she followed.

x

Yamamoto now stood on the balcony to his office as he watched Karin and Yuzu follow their captains without question. While Ichigo fought with Rukia Kuchiki. "He is still as loud as ever. However having Isshin and his children back in the Soul Society is refreshing. While he doesn't openly show his strength, he is as strong as Byakuya or Kenpachi."

Choujirou nodded. "And his son is stronger yet than he is. Not only mastering his Soul Reaper powers save Kido, but also the powers of his inner hallow."

"And that is an asset that will aid in the Soul Society. The first of his kind."

"Captain!"

Yamamoto turned and arched an eyebrow at the soul reaper now on the balcony next to him. "What is it?"

"Captain Yamamoto. My name is Shinjihio Sakoshita. I am a adopted member of the Sakoshita clan. I have come with an urgent message to send aid to Jiraiya Sakoshita. He and several of his guards are doing the best that they can to keep a barrier around themselves and his grand-daughter Rin."

"Who is attacking."

Shinjihio looked up with wide shocked eyes. "It is Kaiza Sakoshita! His grand-son!"

Yamamoto opened his eyes and turned a glare to his lieutenant. "Get the Kurosaki family along with Toshiro Hitsugaya and Byakuya Kuchiki. Send them to the Sakoshita home on the farthest reaches of the seireite!"

Choujirou nodded. "Yes Captain."

Yamamoto then turned and looked out the window on the far side of his office. "What is going on Jiraiya."


	2. Chapter 2

Rin sat in the middle of her father and the two guards that had the barrier up around them. She felt helpless! She never planned on being a Soul Reaper. And chose her solid white clothes over the black ones to show that. And yet she still somehow managed to get a zanpakuto! She didn't even want it! "Grandfather."

"Don't worry Rin. He won't get to you." Jiraiya glared as he followed his son's spiritual pressure as he used the flash step as he attacked the barrier. "Kaiza! What do you think you are doing? What do you want to do with your little sister?"

Kaiza stopped and glared into his grandfather's eyes through the barrier. "My Lord is interested in her unusually high spiritual pressure. He wants it for his own actually."

Rin gasped as she turned and looked at her brother. "You are not serious? You would turn me over to someone who wants to kill me?"

Kaiza smiled as he looked down at her. "That's right. Mother, father, grandfather. They all favored you over me cause I was adopted into the Sakoshita clan! You were born into it. You were better than me! Well now you will pay for it just like they did!"

Rin let tears build in her eyes as she looked down. She started to glow blue as her spiritual pressure started to release. "You killed them didn't you?"

"I did. Just like I will kill everyone else in the Sakoshita clan!" Then he gasped and looked toward the seireite. "I see. Everyone we are leaving. We will come back for my sister another day."

"But Lord Kaiza why?"

"We want to get her before we go to war. We were not to fight Soul Reapers and yet here they come. Until next time little sister." Then he was just gone.

Jiraiya glared as he relaxed. "He is gone and several captains are on their way here. I see that Shinjihio made it through and to Genryuusai."

Rin hugged herself as she let a sob come out. "Why is this happening to me? I didn't want the powers I have. I didn't want this zanpakuto. I didn't want any of it!"

Jiraiya moved to her side and hugged her as the Soul Reapers arrived. "Do not worry. We are going to go to Genryuusai and he will know what to do."

Byakuya looked around. "They ran?"

"Yes Captain Kuchiki. I request that you and Captain Hitsugaya along with the rest of you escort me and my grand-daughter to Head Captain Yamamoto."

Byakuya nods and then they all go. He leads the way as they walk back toward the seireite. But he knew who was leading the attack on them. And was going to request that Yamamoto put him in on the mission he knew was about to come.

Toshiro walked next to Isshin at the back of the group. He was not taking his eyes off of the white haired girl. She was strong. Very strong. But there was something about her that he felt like he knew her somehow. 'What is going on here? I have never seen her yet I feel like I have known her my entire life.'

Isshin arched an eyebrow as he looked at Toshiro. "You like what you see? She is rather beautiful ya know."

"It is not that Isshin. It is something else. It seems like I have known her my entire life and yet this s the first time that I have seen her. And do not try to pass it over as anything other than a de ja vu either."

Isshin threw his hands up. "Whatever. But I know that there is more to it than that. You will just have to see that on your own."

x

Yamamoto looked up as the door opened and he saw his old friend Jiraiya walking in. "It has been a while Jiraiya."

Jiraiya kept his arm around his grand-daughter as he walked in the room. "I would like to talk to you alone my friend."

Yamamoto opened his eyes to see the look of desperation and determination in his friend's eyes. "Very well. You, your grand-daughter, myself and my lieutenant Choujirou will stay. Everyone else resume with your activities you were doing before."

Jiraiya waited for everyone to leave. "It is like this. I cannot protect her like I need to right now. We were attacked. They were after her. The ones attacking were lead by Kaiza."

"I see."

"I am requesting that she be put under the protection of as many Soul Reapers that you can spare. Captains and lieutenants perfered."

Yamamoto arched an eyebrow. "That much protection?"

"Yes." He then looked down at Rin and back to Yamamoto. "Could your lieutenant take her out please."

Rin gasped and started shaking as she grabbed onto him. "No!"

Jiraiya sighed as he eased her from his arms. "He won't let anything happen to you Rin. Go. For me?"

Rin nodded and hugged herself as she was ushered out of the office. 'What is going on here? Oh Kaiza. Why are you doing this?'

Jiraiya waited until his daughter was behind a closed door. "It is time to set the plan into motion Yamamoto. They must fall in love with each other or our world, as well as the world of the living will be destroyed."

Yamamoto. "Unless the fire weilders have done so there is no need to rush things."

"That is just it. Several of those with Kaiza had on that clan's crest. We can't take chances. Even if he has not found her, if he gets ahold of Rin, and gets her spiritual pressure then it is all going to go to hell. Even Hueco Mundo won't stand a chance."

Yamamoto thought about it. If that crest is being worn then he must be out and on the move. And if that is the case he can't tell Toshiro. "Very well. Concidering what we are trying to avoid, I will assign this mission to the finest ones that are here."

"You will include Juushirou and Shunsui right?"

"Of course."

x

Now standing in the Captains room with all of the Captains Yamamoto sighs. "It appears that someone is targeting the Sakoshita clan in an effort to capture their pure Soul Reaper heir Rin Sakoshita to extract her immense spiritual pressure for themselves. We do not know who is behind it. But we cannot let this happen. So I am assigning most of your to protect her in the world of the living at Kisuke Urahara's shop."

Juushirou arched an eyebrow? "Most of us?"

"Yes. They will no doubt go after her wherever she is. If she is not in the seireite then those here can work on their skills and get stronger. But she must be kept safe."

"Head Captain."

Yamamoto looked at Soi Fon who is one of those that are going to go. "What is it Soi Fon?"

"What kind of spiritual pressure does this girl have to warrant so many Captains leaving the Soul Society?"

Yamamoto nods to her. "I expect many of you are wondering the same thing. Choujirou show her in." When he sees the young woman walk in to stand before him in the middle of the Captains he opens his eyes. "Rin Sakoshita. Flare your powers to fifty percent."

Rin blinked back tears as she nodded. Her grandfather left her and went home. Said that it was for the best that this happen because the Soul Reapers could protect her more. But it didn't matter to her. She wanted to be with him, but he made her stay. "Yes sir."

Toshiro again is mezermised by her. And it isn't an attraction either. It is something different than that. Like he knew her. But when she flared her pressure he flinched and was finding it hard to stand. He looked around and saw that Unohana was on her knees and Byakuya was breaking out in a sweat!

Yamamoto turned instantly to Mayuri. "Do not think about it. You are forbidden from getting anywhere near her. You or any of your squad do you understand me?"

Mayuri glared but nodded. A pure Soul Reaper. One born of two souls already was very rare! As far as he knew Ichigo and his sisters were the only ones that were like that. "Fine."

Yamamoto sighs. "The following Soul Reapers from Squad 4 are assigned to this task. Yuzu Kurosaki and Hantarou Yamada. The Lieutenant of Squad 3 Izuru Kira. Acting Captain of Squad 9, Shuuhei Hisagi. As well as Yoruichi Shihouin, Kisuke Urahara, Orihime Inoue, Uryu Ishida, Yatsutora Sado and Tessai Tsukabishi."

Shunsui sighed as he pulled his hat down. "Okay so which ones of us are going and who do you want us to take?"

"You for one Shunsui. Captain of Squad 8 along with your Lieutenant Nanao Ise. Juushiro Ukitake, Captain of Squad 13 along with Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki. Kenpachi Zaraki, Captain of Squad 11 along with Yachiru Kusajishi, Ikkaku Madarame, and yumichika Ayasegawa. Toshiro Hitsugaya, Captain of Squad 10 along with Rangiku Matsumoto. Byakuya Kuchiki, Captain of Squad 6 along with Renji Abarai and Karin Kurosaki. And finally, Soi Fon, Captain of Squad 2 and Marechiyo Oumaeda. Gather here in one hour for your departure into the world of the living."


	3. Chapter 3

Rin stood nervously. She felt all of the spiritual pressures of those that would be protecting her and was downright scared now. There were so many of them. Then just as sudden as they were all there they were gone! When the door opened she looked up to see Choujirou walk in with a smile to her. "My dear it is time for you to go to the world of the living as well."

Rin nodded. She didn't want to but she had no choice in the matter. "I am ready."

Choujirou sighed as he placed a hand on her back. "The ones that are protecting you are very strong indeed. And once they know what they have to do, they do it. Not one of them will let harm come to you."

"I am sure of that. It is something else."

Choujirou nodded as he walked her through the portal to stand in the middle of what looked like a desert surround by dozens of starring eyes. "This is the Lady Rin Sakoshita. She is who you have been ordered to protect. There are many here for you to meet. Byakuya I turst that you and Juushiro will help her through that?"

Juushiro stepped up next to her with a smile. "Of course. Thank you Lieutenant Sasakibe." He watched as Choujirou left then turned to blink when he found that Izuru, Yumichika and Ikkaku were all already in her face. "What are the three of you doing?"

Yumichika smiled as he gave a bow. "My Lady I am Yumichika Ayasegawa. Anything you might need just ask and it will be yours."

Ikkaku kicks Yumichika in the side and glares. "Yeah right you never want to get dirty!" Then he turned a smile to Rin. "I on the other hand will protect you with my life."

Izuru circles around to her side. "Unlike the two very uncivilized before me, I would like to introduce myself. I am Izuru Kira. At your service."

Rin blinked with wide eyes as they all started fighting right there in front of her. "Is this normal?"

Juushiro sighed. "For Yumichika, yes. But not so much for Izuru or Ikkaku. Come, I will introduce you to the rest while they act like children."

"But shouldn't someone stop them before they hurt each other?"

Shuuhei crossed his arms as he stepped up. "IZURU KIRA! You just like me are acting captain for Squad 3. So damn well act like it you dumbass!"

Yachiru shocked Shuuhei by jumping up on his shoulder. "And you two are giving Kenny's squad a bad name. I don't like that."

Rin had to laugh when all three of them were suddenly standing with their head bowed and red. She followed along with Ukitake and was introduced to the rest of the ones that were going to protect her. But she couldn't shake the feeling that they weren't going to be enough.

Kisuke clapped his hands together and then turned and started to walk away. "Well just over here a little ways is the door up to my shop. I had Tessai open up some of the other bedrooms. There is a large one in the back where Rin and the girls will sleep. The rest of you is first come first serve."

Rin walked next to Juushiro still, with her head down. Still trying to piece together what her brother was doing and who it was that he was working for.

Juushiro sighed as he looked down at her with soft eyes. "Is something wrong? Would you like to talk about it?"

Rin let her head drop even lower. "I am still trying to wrap my head around the fact that it was my brother who attacked us. That he was willing to take me to someone who wanted to kill me for powers that I didn't even want in the first place."

Toshiro had been behind them and heard what she said. "So why didn't you use your zanpakuto and fight back?"

Rin gasped as she turned and looked up at him. Aware that everyone was watching them. "I do not have the combat experience that you do Captain Hitsugaya. However, even if I did I don't think that I could pull my blade on my own brother." Then she turned and walked on toward the way out the place they were in. 'I can't tell them that I don't know how to use it. I only know her name and nothing else.'

x

Ryutsuji stood looking out the window of his castle when he saw that Kaiza was returning. But he didn't have his sister with him. "Damn that fool."

Risaka moved to his side. "He didn't get her did he. He is about damned stupid. If she gets involved with him it will make our goals harder to reach."

"Harder yes. But not out of reach. Go and have scouts search all around the seireite and in the world of the living in Karakura Town. Find her and who is protect her. But Risaka. Do not approach her. Find her and report right back to me. Understood?"

Risaka smiled as she stood in front of him and slide her hands up his chest and to his shoulders. "I understand My Lord."

Ryotsuji dipped his head and kissed her then shooed her off when he felt Kaiza at the door. "Get in here."

Kaiza walked in with his head low. "I failed I know. I had put faith in a few men that were supposed to watch the outside of the home and they didn't do their part. Someone got through and the Soul Reapers were sensed on their way."

"I see."

Kaiza looked up. "My Lord give me one more shot. Let me find out where she is at. I know it was him that was coming. I owe him for what he did to me so long ago. I know he knew it was me as well and would have put himself with Rin just to have a chance to settle things with me."

"Byakuya Kuchiki?"

"That's right." Kaiza glared down at the floor. "That day. He nearly ruined my life and now I want my revenge."

"That is fine. Risaka just left to go and find where they are at. Either in the Soul Society or in the world of the living."

"Which one do you think it is My Lord?"

Ryotsuji glared out the window. "I have a hunch it is the world of the living." 'You are no longer in our world are you brother? Lets just hope your heart is still a block of ice and she won't be able to get in.'

x

Jiraiya walked into the office of Genryuusai. "She is in the world of the living?"

Genryuusai looked up with a nod. "She is. There is already something pulling on him. You can see it in his eyes. Though we must not rush this."

"What orders did you give to the ones protecting her?"

"They are to protect her until further notice. No matter what they are to stay with her. Be it for five weeks or five years."

"Did you tell them who I told you I think it is?"

"I did not. Toshiro would have went off and head out on his own. We do not yet know if he has a wife or if she is a fire wielder."

Jiraiya sighed. "I know that. However you know my position on this. I had to take over as head of the family. I found out today that Kaiza was the one who killed my son and his wife. He killed the two that adopted him and raised them as their own. All because he thought that they favored Rin."

"I see. So we were right."

"Sadly yes. I wonder how long it will take for them to figure out they are perfect for each other in the world of the living?"

Genryuusai smiled. "I don't think it will take long. A few weeks maybe. When I had her show the Captains her spiritual pressure, before even did that his eyes never left her."

Jiraiya sighs as he looked down and turned to leave. "I just hope that his heart isn't still sealed off still."


	4. Chapter 4

Once up in the house part of Urahara's shop, Rin still kept close to Juushiro. She looked around her as she stood next to him. "This place is so small."

Kisuke sighed as he dropped his head. "I am sorry it is not like your home back in the Soul Society Lady Rin…."

"Stop calling me that. I don't like it when I am called that."

Looking down at her with a soft smile now Kisuke sighed. "What do you want us to call you then?"

"Just Rin. Just call me Rin."

"Well alright Rin. Along with the rest of the GIRLS would you all follow me. I will show you the bedroom that you all will be sharing." Then he turned and headed on down the hall.

Rin watched as several of the girls filed past her then jumped when she heard a giggle next to her and turned to find Yuzu right next to her. "Ummmmm….."

Yuzu hooked her arm through Rin's with a small laugh then headed back the hall way. "Don't worry none of us will bite. We can all hang out back in the bedroom for a while and get to know each other better. Without the boys getting in the way."

Yumichika was there on the other side of Rin with a smile. "I would love to join…" Then he was pulled backwards when Ikkaku pulled him back by his hair.

Stepping on his stomach Ikkaku moved toward her. "Yeah right you just wanna flirt."

Izuru then reached out and grabbed him by the collar of his clothes. "And what is it exactly that you want to do with her Madarame?"

Yuzu sighed as she stopped and turned to glare at them. "I don't suppose you boys know how to cook do you?"

All three looked up the gasped and froze as they went pale at the glare that the girl was giving her. Shaking their heads side to side slowly. "No Ma'am."

"I love cooking." Then she smiled a simple smile. "You will all be on your best behavior or you just never know what you might eat in your food."

After she and Rin were through the door Ikkaku and the others sighed. "Oh man. I would say that she is going to fit right in with Uohana."

Nodding Yumichika leaned up against a wall. "She has that same glare and innocent smile while she threatens you that Uohana does that is for sure."

Ichigo sighed as he flopped down in the middle of Renji and Shuuhei. "Just don't underestimate her. I know firsthand what pissing that one off will do and none of you would like it in the least." He then looked up at Juushiro. "So this is home until her brother and the one he is working for is dead? Well at least it is in living world."

Nodding Juushiro stood by a window. "Though something tells me that Yamamoto didn't tell us everything about what is going on with her. There was something missing."

"He didn't tell us who he thought it was."

All eyes turned to Byakuya. Opening his eyes he met Juushiro's gaze with a glare. "He told us the assignment but that was it. He didn't tell us who he thought was behind it so we could look for clues or anything."

"We are flying blind."

Ichigo sighed as he propped his feet up on the coffee table. "Well Orihime and the others will be here soon. And I like flying blind better anyway."

Glaring sideways at him Renji crossed his arms. "When do you ever pay attention to what is going on anyway?"

"Oh shut up!"

X

Rin sat between Yuzu and her twin sister Karin with a look that clearly told everyone that she was nervous as hell. Yuzu sighed as she tried to think of what they could do to help her feel more at ease around them. "I got it!"

All eyes turning to her Yuzu jumped up and ran from the room only to come back a few seconds later with a pen and pad of paper from the shop. "We can all play a little game to get to know each other. Not only does Rin not know any of us, Karin and I don't know most of you either."

With her eyebrow twitching Soi Fon glared at the pen and paper. "What kind of game are you talking about kid?"

Sitting back down next to Rin she giggled then wrote a question on the top piece of paper and held it out. "See. One of us writes a question at the top of the paper and it is passed around as everyone writes their answer along with their name on it."

Karin glared over at her twin. "That game is for little kids Yuzu."

"Well no one is talking or doing anything else so I had to think of something."

Rin sighed as she closed her eyes and looked down. "I don't see this as something that is going to matter anyway."

Turning to see the sad look on her face Yuzu sighed. "What? The game?"

"This thing about you guys trying to protect me from him. You don't know my brother or how strong he really is. I have been the only one that witnessed what he is truly capable of. What he did to the Clan today was nothing compared. I doubt anyone here is going to be strong enough to fight him off when he comes again."

"Don't underestimate us or the guys out there. More than the captains have mastered bankai and will use it to defend you. He could come with a thousand men and he wouldn't get within a hundred feet of you." Rangiku smiled and winked at the worried girl. "So don't worry about it. Is there something you really like to do?"

Nodding Rin sighed. "I love to paint. But we left in such haste when they got there and my brother left, I forgot to get my paints."

Yuzu giggled as she stood and puled Rin to stand with her. "Well come on then there is an art store not far from here. We can grab a couple of the guys and then go to the art store!"

"I don't want to be a bother to anyone though. It would be…"

"Something we want to do for you so you can be more at ease here and around all of us. Even the love struck trio would only want to see you fit in and feel comfortable around all of us. We are all like one big happy family and you are officially part of it."

Rin looked up into Rangiku's blue eyes. "Okay."

Yuzu then drug her out and into the middle of the living room, fixing the trio with her smile. "Ichigo, Renji, Shuuhei. Me, Rangiku, Rukia, and Karin are going to take Rin to get some stuff at the art store down the street. Want to come with us?"

Yumichika started to stand up then sat back down with Izuru and Ikkaku when he saw her glare on him again. "We will stay here here."

Toshiro sighed. "I am going as well."

Rangiku threw her hand up. "Alright lets go to the art store!"

"Don't tell me that you are all going to go like that are you?"

All eyes turned back to Kisuke who sat with Juushiro. Ichigo glared. "What are you talking about Hat n' Clogs?"

"Only you and your sisters can be seen right now Ichigo. The rest of them need to get in a gigai to go out of the house. Or it will look like you are all crazy."

Renji glared with an eyebrow twitch. "I forgot about having to wear those damn things. I hate them!"

Rin looked back at Kisuke with blinking eyes. "What is a gigai and why do we have to wear them?"

Though before Kisuke could say anything it was Byakuya who answered drawing her eyes to his own. "A gigai is an artificial body that soul reapers wear when in the world of the living so they can be seen by normal humans. Unlike Ichigo, Yuzu and Karin, most humans do not see us in this form nor the hollows that we destroy."

"I see."

Tessai smiles as he steps up. "Here you go. And for the rest of you." Then he hands them out and smiles as he steps in front of Kisuke. "These are different from the normal gigai that we give out to soul reapers. These will allow all the soul reapers to unleash their full power if the need arises for it."

Renji blinked as he cracked the pill and his gigai popped out. "What about weapons? It is against the law here in the world of the living to carry them."

"Your weapons will be able to remain with you and will also be invisible to normal humans."

Watching as everyone got into their gigai then left the store Kisuke glared at the back of Tessai's head. "So when were you going to tell me about those?"

"Captain Yamamoto had them brought here just before everyone arrived."

"I see. That old man knows something."

Nodding Juushiro closes his eyes. "Indeed."

X

Risaka glared down at the number of soul reapers that were with their target. And she could sense even more in the store. There were seven of them with her and there was still thirteen more in the store. 'This is not good.'

But just before she was about to leave she turned with wide eyes. Three more humans, each with immense spiritual pressure were coming. 'Damnit!' Then she turned and waved her hand opening a portal and stepping through right into the throne room of her beloved. "Things are worse than we imagined koibito."

Turning to his wife Ryutsuji glared. "How so?"

"Not only are there more soul reapers there then we thought Yamamoto would assign to her, but he is there as well."

"Toshiro?"

"Yes. He along with three other soul reapers and the three humans that have become full fledged living soul reapers are with her right at this moment. Inside the store that Kisuke Urahara runs were more of them."

"Did you recognize any of them?"

Nodding Risaka sat down and leaned against the floor. "I knew three of them. All of them Captains."

"Who?"

"Byakuya Kuchiki, Kenpachi Zaraki and Soi Fon."

Kaiza glared. "I knew he would be with her! I will teach that bastard not to make a fool out of me!"

Her eyes hard Risaka glared up at the young fool. "Do not rush in and think you are all that. The last captain was my own captain when I was a soul reaper. She is not to be messed with."

Shrugging his shoulders Kaiza turned and left. "In a few days I will enough men together that will give them a thousand to one odds, kill them all, bring Byakuya's head back as well as my sister."

Ryutsuji glared until the door shut then sighed. "He is going to be no use to us."

"He is too rash and brazen to do what we need him to do."

Looking out the window with a glare Ryutsuji thought about what their next plan would be. With so many captains and high ranking soul reapers there they couldn't afford to be careless with what their next step was going to be. He wanted the girl and he wanted his brother's head. But he had to be careful as to how he went about getting both. Or it might just blow up in his face.

"Ryutsuji?"

"I was just thinking."

Going to her husband and wrapping her arms around one of his with her head on his shoulder Risaka sighed. "I think that the first thing we need to do is get Kaiza out of the way. He is going to be nothing but a thorn in our side."

"Yeah but how?"

Winking as she kissed his cheek then walked away Risaka laughed. "You just leave that up to me while you figure out how to get her away from your brother."


	5. Chapter 5

Rin found herself sitting in the large room under the shop. With Toshiro, Ichigo and her trio of admirers she was still able to let a small smile grace her face as she worked on yet another painting. The last week had been peaceful and nothing happened inside either. But she knew that her brother was going to come for her again. 'Now the question is how many of these soul reapers are going to die because of it?'

"Another winter one I see."

Turning startled eyes Rin found herself looking into Rangiku's blue eyes again. She sighed as she smiled and went back to her painting. "I love painting them the most. I have never been anywhere near a snow cap like this before. Grandpa said that is why my zanpakto chose me. There is just something about the ice and snow when I see it that sends me to a peaceful state."

"That sounds like Captain."

"Huh?"

Rangiku looked up on an cliff where Toshiro sat. "Captain Hitsugaya is like that. In fact his zanpakto is the great ice dragon Hyourinmaru."

Blinking Rin looked up at her with a confused look. "That's odd."

"Why?"

Looking down at the zanpakto at her side Rin let out a long sigh. "The name of his is nearly just like mine who is a dragon of snow. Her name is Yukiyomaru."

With a smile Rangiku registered her Captain's brief look of shock in his eyes. "Well the two of you might have more in common than you think."

Shaking her head no as she went back to painting. "I refuse to get close to anyone here."

With a gasp Rangiku looked down at her. "What? Why not? No one here is going to try to hurt you Rin."

A silent tear streaming down her throat. "Anyone I ever cared about, with the exception of Grandpa is gone now. It is like it is a curse or something. And I know how strong my brother is. I have seen his true power, no one else in my clan had ever seen it. It was frightening. No one here stands a chance against him."

Pulling a startled gasp from the white haired girl Byakuya was suddenly behind them with a mock laugh. "Your brother may be strong, and you may think he is unbeatable because you have not seen the powers of those of us here." He gave a glance behind them at Orihime as she stood with Ichigo. "Even the humans here have powers that would dwarf your brothers."

Rin sighed. "None of you know…."

"I do know. In fact I am the reason why your brother never became a soul reaper."

Her eyes wide Rin's eyes turned to his black ones. "What? He told us that he chose to leave and not become one after all. That it didn't fit his desire."

"Your brother was arrogant and thought no one was tougher than he. He was assigned to my squad and going by his level of ability he did not even rank to get one of my ten seats. This set him off and he challenged me to a fight to try to kill me and become captain of Squad 6. With little effort I beat him, even though he was going full force. I did not need to exert any more effort than I am talking to you."

Her eyes were wide as Rin hung on every word he said. But none of it made sense. "But that doesn't make sense with what I saw. And it was after he came home."

"What was it you saw?"

Looking down as she started shaking Rin hugged herself. "It was about a year ago. He was inside a room in our basement that is made like the Seireite. He had me go with him and he showed me some of the stuff he could do now. Fire mostly. The air was thick, and I felt like I couldn't breath. He wielded fire at will. When I asked him how he got that strong he said his Fire Lord gave him the ability to do as he pleased with ."

"I see."

With a sigh Rangiku gasped as she snapped her fingers. "You know what I think I know the perfect thing to do to cheer her up and show her something good for a change." She then turned and looked up at Toshiro. "Captain! You should show her some real ice and snow. It is the middle of summer here and I know you prefer cold too. Come on!"

"No. We stay with everyone else."

"Who said we weren't all going with you?"

Toshiro narrowed his eyes as his lieutenant. "I said no."

Her blue eyes glaring back Rangiku stormed over to the trap door. "We shall see about that Captain."

Rin was on her feet and rushed after Rangiku grabbing her hand just before they she left the room where the rest of them were at. "Please it is alright. I enjoy painting them. It isn't…."

"It is something that I want to do to show you that we aren't all bad and you don't have to keep your guard up around us."

"Don't. Please?"

With a sigh Rangiku dropped her head. "Fine. But at least let us get you some more paints. You have been painting all week long and I noticed you were getting sort of low."

With a sigh Rin dropped her head. "I would prefer not but if that is the only way to get you to stop the other then fine."

With a smile Rangiku ducked her head back through the trapdoor. "Captain! We are going to the store who wants to come!" Then sighed with a gasp as Yumichika, Ikkaku and Izuru were the first ones out, each pushing trying to get a better place next to Rin. "Would you two stop that!"

"I cannot turn my head from a woman whose beauty has outdone my own Rangiku. What kind of a man would I be?"

"Conceded!"

Rin blinked as she looked around her at the three smiling faces as they looked at her but then the glare when they looked at each other. "I don't get it."

Stopping to look down at her the three blinked and in spoke in perfect unison. "Don't get what?"

Turning she dropped her head even further. "The fuss that the three of you put up over me all the time. I am nothing special and average if anything in looks. I have a zanpakto that I can't use. A brother that wants to help someone kill me for a power that I don't want!" Tears streaming down her face as she hugged herself. "I don't get it! And it is all because of a power that I have that I never asked for! I was content sitting around my house with my parents and grandfather! I know how strong my brother is! I know that when he says something he won't stop until he gets it! You all have no clue what you're up against and all you can do is try to see who is going to hit on me…" Then she gasped as a gentle hand clasped over her mouth. She turned to see Toshiro standing behind her.

"Enough." Toshiro sighed as he turned and looked at Rangiku. "The Northern Ice Cap. Get everyone and bring them with you." He then lifted Rin in his arms and dropped back through the trap door. He pulled his zanpakto and made a portal.

As the portal was starting to open Rin whipped her eyes free of her tears. "I didn't ask for you to do this Captain Hitsugaya."

"I know. But you are working yourself up into a fit and whether you noticed it or not your spiritual pressure was rising. The higher it gets the more our enemy will notice it. You need to calm down, and if Rangiku is right, this will." He then grabbed her hand and pulled her through the portal with him, the portal shutting the instant that they were through.

Rin looked out around her and gasped. Nothing but white sparkling snow as far as the eyes could see in all directions. Though it was bitterly cold outside she felt just fine. She took a few steps from him and dropped to her knees in the snow as she ran her fingers across the surface of it. "This is snow?"

"That's right. This is one of my favorite places to come and get away from the chaos that is the Soul Society." He then looked down at the zanpakto that hung at her hip. "What do you know about your zanpakto? Like do you know how to use it at all?"

Dropping her head she sighed. "I don't. I know the mantra thing that I have to say to unleash some of her power but that is all."

"What is it?"

"The pureness of white shall engulf you. Yukiyomaru. Though I don't know what happens when I use her when I say it. I never have done that."

"Try it."

She looked up at him blinking. "You are joking right?"

Toshiro sighed as he looked down into her brilliant blue eyes. "Look after the current threat on your life is dealt with there will be more to come and try to claim the power that you let sleep inside you. If you train yourself to be able to use it then you will be able to fight along side friends. Not worry about being a burden to them."

Her eyes went wider with every word. Then almost as if the wind was bidding her too a slight wind blew past them. She stood and pulled her zanpakto from its sheath and looked at it with a sigh. "I don't even know what I am supposed to do as I say it."

Stepping around behind her he put his hand over hers and showed her the motion in which that he swings Hyourinmaru. "That is what I do for Hyourinmaru when I use his shikai. He is an ice dragon, perhaps your snow dragon is the same way."

With a nod Rin closed her eyes. "The pureness of white shall engulf you, Yikiyomaru." Then she swung the zanpakto in the way that Toshiro had shown her and opened her eyes in time to see blinding snow come falling from the sky, burring everything around her. She turned to find that even Toshiro was under snow now. "Captain?" She sheathed her sword and the snow storm stopped. She was untouched but all around her was nothing but white snow that towered over her head. "Captain Hitsugaya?"

Flying up through the snow with wide eyes he looked down at the wide eyed Rin. As he floated down to stand with her in the only spot for miles that devoid of any snow he kept eye contact with her. "I will train you how to fight like a soul reaper."

"But I don't want to fight like one. I don't like fighting to ….."

Reaching up and placing a finger to her lips he smiled. "You have a talent and the power for it. Train to fight not to fight. But to defend yourself when you are alone. Do you really think your parents would want you to be helpless? Or would they be proud of you for learning how to defend yourself?"

"Captain!"

With an annoyed glare he turns and takes Rin by the waist as they float out of the void to see the others standing on the snow. "What Matsumoto?"

"What happened out here sir? We were opened the portal to a snow storm."

Looking down at Rin he half smiled pulling a gasp from all of them. "That was her doing."

"Hers?"

"She knew the release for Yukiyomaru's shikai and said it using her zanpakto. That storm that dropped ten feet of snow in seconds was because of that."

Rin only blinked up at him. She knew he was right but didn't even know where to start with it. "Where do we even start?"

Looking down into her blue eyes again Toshiro smiled a full smile, pulling even loud gasps, and causing Rangiku to pass out. "We will start with the basics of kido. Rukia and Yoruichi are best that."

"So you and they are going to train me?"

"By the time it is all said and done you are going to have training from everyone here." Then with a sigh and an annoyed look he looked over at Yumichika, Ikkaku and Izuru. "Except them. They would be more interesting in pick up lines than training you."


	6. Chapter 6

Rin now found herself back in the Northern Polar Ice Cap with everyone. She felt like she was on display somewhere the way that everyone watched her. But she was trying hard to focus and listen to Rukia and Yoruichi as they explained what kido was and how to use it.

Rukia noticed how her eyes filtered toward everyone else a few times and sighed. "What is wrong?"

"I can't stand it when people stare at me like that."

Rukia sighed as she dropped her head. "They have to watch so that they will know what you are strongest at. I think we will try binding first. Bakudou."

"Binding?"

"Where you use your spirit energy and an incantation to bind someone. Either with some sort of visible energy or pinning their arms behind their back." She cast an evil smile over toward Ichigo. "We will need someone to assist you though."

With a glare Ichigo turned his back to her. "Hell no. You aren't doing that to me again you little runt."

"Don't you realize that as part of MY squad, and ONLY the third seat you have to listen to me now?"

"Don't care."

With a sigh Toshiro reached out and kicked Yumichika toward them glaring as he fell face first in the snow. "No one here is weak enough for it to really have an effect on anymore Rukia. All she needs to know is how to do it."

Nodding Rukia waited for Yumichika to get up. But instead he stayed face down in the snow. "Getting up any time soon?" When he got nothing she smiled. "Oh no Izuru just kissed Rin!"

Yumichika was trying to avoid being the genie pig for her. He thought she was beautiful and wanted to be with her but he didn't want to be the first one to get her binding! But when he heard what Rukia said he was on his feet with a glare. "Get away from her! You…" Then he noticed the glares and laughs as he turned back to Rukia. "That was low."

"Look at it this way Yumichika. You get to be closer to her for a while."

His eyes going wide he smiled as he was instantly in her face. "That is true I never thought of it like that."

Rin blinked. He wasn't bad but he came on way too strong. She wasn't into that. "Rukia what do I say to him?"

"It isn't something that you say 'to' him it is something that you say and it happens to him. Focus on him, and repated "Bakudou Number 1, Sai" and then send your hand in a sideways motion like this."

Nodding Rukia held her hand up and closed her eyes. "Bakudou Number 1. Sai." Then she flung her hand to the side but gasped and jumped back when she heard a painful scream come from him. When she looked at him his arms were twisted in a weird way on his back. "Oh man I did something wrong!"

"Hold your fingers by your mouth and just say 'release' and it will stop it."

"Release."

Yumichika was in tears as his arms fell limp at his side. "Just about every bone from my shoulders to my fingertips are broken!"

Rukia sighed as she pointed. "Go see Orihime. Geese didn't you hear when we said that she was going to be a key person in today's training?"

"Still!"

"Get!"

Rin dropped her head. "I am not cut out to do this."

Byakuya smiled as he approached her. "You are more talented at this than your brother is. He barely passed kido in the academy."

Looking up at him she had tears in her eyes. "Then why did I break all those bones in his arms?"

"A kido is a manifestation of your spirit energy in an act of some sort. You were so focused on what you were doing, that the strength of which was more than he could handle."

Her eyes blinking now she looked up at him. "Really?"

Turning her to face a large piece of ice that was floating past. "Point your finger at that."

"Okay."

"Now say Hadou Number Eleven. Tsuzuri Raiden."

Her eyes open this time Rin took a gulp. "Hadou Number Eelven. Tsuzuri Raiden" Then she gasped as a brilliant red lightning bolt shot from her finger and hit the ice burg shattering it to dust. "Did I really just do that?"

Turning to Toshiro Byakuya smiled. "Seeing as different people excel at different areas and different kido Captain Hitsugaya I would wager that you would be the best one to teach her everything."

"She can't have just me teaching her. She must learn from everyone so when she fights she not only has her own style that will come out but everyone elses. More than one style of doing things will help her in battles."

"I see."

Toshiro turned to Rukia and Yoruichi. "Keep going. Obviously she can do them. Use Izuru, Yumichika and Ikkaku as her test subjects for some of the bakudou ones." Forcing himself not to laugh at the three loud gasps coming from them. But his eyes never left Rin and her big blue eyes as she looked up at him where he sat in the tree. He didn't know what was going on with him but he knew that he wanted to make sure she was trained. Right.

Rin sighed as she turned back to Yoruichi and Rukia. "So what is next?"

"We will work our way up. Starting with the binding ones up to Captain level if you can make it that far. Same with hakudou. If you do good enough on those we will try some healing kido."

"Alright."

Rukia looked at Yoruichi and smiled. "Ikkaku or Izuru next?"

"Ikkaku."

Puffing out his chest and walking with his head held high Ikkaku walked up to Rin with a smile. "I am telling you all that it can't be as painful or as bad as Yumichika said it was."

With Orihime's healing barrier finally coming down Yumichika rubbed his writs. Just thinking about what happened made his arms hurt. "Just wait. She did number one with me. Yours is going to be stronger than mine was."

"Oh please. I am a seated officer and can handle anything that a beginner can throw at me."

"I thought the same thing but look what happened to me jackass."

Yoruichi glared. "Fine! You guys really wanna see just how much stronger than you three she is gonna become? Ikkaku how about we tell her a kido that is lieutenant or seated officer level? How about that one?"

Crossing his arms as he stopped next to Rin he gave her a sly smile. "I say bring it on. I can and will take anything she can do. Gladly if it will help a girl as pretty as her get stronger."

Pulling Rin away from him Rukia glared. "Yeah sure Ikkaku." Then she turned to Rin. All you need to say for this one is 'Bakudou number 62. Hyapporankan' and wave your arm in the same way that you did with the first one."

"What does this one do?"

"You will see."

Ikkaku just starred in a confused haze. He couldn't remember that one! 'Damnit what is that woman going to do to me!' "I am ready whenever you are my lady."

Izuru glared. "Stop sucking up."

"Like you wouldn't!"

Rin sighed. "Bakudou number 62. Hyapporankan." Then she flung her arm to the side and her eyes went wide when a large rod of bright blue spirit energy flung out of her hand and toward Ikkaku. Before hitting him it splintered into hundreds of little ones and sent him flying back nearly a thousand yards to pin him to a glacier. "What was…that?"

Already behind her Toshiro sighed. "That was a level of kido that most do not reach without years of training. Others will train with you as far as teaching you fighting techniques. As far as mastering your zanpakto and kid I do believe that I will do that on my own."

Looking up over her shoulder she blinked at him. "Okay. But the way my brother talked….."

"Would you like to see just exactly how wrong your brother is?"

Blinking she turned to him with curious eyes. "I would."

Turning and pointing to Ikkaku, Yumichika, Renji, and Ichigo he sighed. "They are all bellow a lieutenant's status. But every single one of them have the energy level needed to be a captain and have all mastered Bankai."

Everyone save Ichigo gasp and blink. Toshiro glares at each of them. "Do you think that we are stupid? There have been more than a few times when your bankai could be felt by all of us. But since you have made no clear intention on ever going higher than what you are, no one said anything."

Rin sighed as she dropped her head. "I bet it would take me years."

"Not if done right my dear girl. After you learn some basic moves and kido from Toshiro, Yoruichi and I can help you reach a bankai level in less than a month. Just like we did with Ichigo."

Toshiro nodded then sighed. "However there are too many of you here. Renji, Ichigo, Uruyu and Orihime are all that are needed for right now if you wouldn't mind."

Izuru glared. "But we are all supposed to stay with her Captain. With all due respect."

"Get lost."

Juushiro sighed as he cleared his throat. "I understand Toshiro. More than even I am sure you do. Come on everyone except Renji, Ichigo, Uryu and Orihime are to come with us back to Urahara's shop."

"But Captain!"

"Now!"

Once they were all gone Rin sighed as she relaxed. "At least I don't have as many people starring at me as I try to learn this stuff."

"I will not go easy on you. I plan on pushing you until you pass out each day until you get it. Do you understand that?"

"I do."

"Good. You do not need to practice each kido. It is clear that just memorizing each one and what they do will help you. The first thing you need to learn from me is basic sword drills."

Blinking as she looked up at him she nodded. She never noticed just how green his eyes were in contrast to her light blue eyes. But in that rare moment when she does make eye contact with him she can't help but feel a pull toward him. 'I have to fight this. I can't let myself care about him. If I don't then he might have a chance to live.' "Do we start now?"

"Yes."


	7. Chapter 7

With a sigh Toshiro followed Rin, Orihime, Rukia, Renji, Ichigo, and Byakuya toward the local art store. He told her since she was doing so good with learning how to fight she could have a couple of days off. Her only request was that he take her and just let her paint the landscape of a polar ice cap from sight, not just imagination.

He didn't want to, he wanted to stay at Urahara's for the few days that she had a break to put some distance between them. He knew he was falling for her, and could see it in her eyes that she was fighting the same emotions that he was. 'I can't do that right now. I have to treat this as a assignment not let myself fall in love with her.'

He let his eyes fall on her as she walked with a smile next to Orihime and felt his heart skip a beat. She was beautiful, liked the same things that he did. And was strong. Once she was trained would have made a top notch soul reaper that he would have had no problem working along side with. But it was what his heart was trying to do that scared him. The last time he let himself care about someone was Momo and she ended up turning him down for someone else. He didn't know if he could take that again.

Rin glanced back just in time to see Toshiro advert his eyes away from her. With a glint of sadness she turned back around and looked down at the ground. Though she smiled she wanted to cry. She thought that if she only focused on training that she would be able to stop herself from falling in love with him. But it was a futile effort. She was so in love with him that she couldn't stand it. She knows she sees emotion for her in his eyes, but he just won't drop his cold façade. 'But then again that might be a good thing.'

"I think that I will be taking my sister off of your hands now Byakuya."

Everyone stopped and jerked their heads up at the sound of the voice. Rin started shaking as she took a step back. It was her brother! "Kaiza…"

Smiling his blue eyes down at her Kaiza hefted his Zanpakto up on his shoulder and smiled. "That's right. Now you are going to come with me and die like the good little nothing you are. Do you really think they can protect you from me!" Then he charged down at her. Only to have his zanpakto slam into the ground where she was standing. Glaring up he saw her in the arms of Toshiro Hitsugaya. "Men!"

Rin gasped as she involuntary grabbed hold of Toshiro's clothes with a death grip. "Oh no!"

Turning to Byakuya as he landed next to him. "You gigai will follow me back."

"Right."

Rin started to reach out for him as she gasped. "Please don't! You don't know…."

Byakuya glared over his shoulder. "How about for a change you stop telling us what we don't know about him. When you yourself don't fully know anything about what anyone here can do."

Gasping as her eyes went wide she just looked into his black eyes then wrapped her arms around Toshiro's neck as he started to bound away from them over the rooftops. Dropping her head she let out a sigh. "Your friends don't know what he can do. He has fully mastered fire and is not afraid to use it either. That is how he killed our parents."

"But like Byakuya said you don't know anything about what any of us can do. And it does get rather annoying when you talk about how no one can beat him. You will see."

Not saying anything else she just held onto him as the sounds of an ever growing battle behind her were growing louder and louder. 'Or you will be the one to see when they come back injured or worse.'

X

Glaring straight up into Byakuya's black eyes Kaiza laughed as he hefted his zanpakto up on his shoulder again. "You won't stop me from getting her and taking her to him."

"Who is him?"

"Like I am going to tell your ass? You are the reason why I never got to achieve my goal!"

With a smug smirk Byakuya pulled his zanpakto from his side. "What is that? To be able to take over Squad 6? Or was it something deeper than that? You sucked at the academy, you sucked as a soul reaper which is why you did not earn a seated rank in the squad. What do you really think you can do that will make me think you are stronger? And I already know about your fire."

With a smile Kaiza then let himself burst into flames as his eyes turned a dark red. "I have managed to train myself to take on the physical manifestation of my new zanpakto. With Hinoha I will show you what I can do with fire!"

Making Kaiza's eyes narrow even more Byakuya let out a loud laugh as he held his zanpakto up to his face. "Do you really think that you are the first fire user to have faced me and lost? I have faced one other in my time. And defeated him just like I will you."

"Liar!"

"Try me. Scatter."

X

Arriving back at Urahara's shop Toshiro let his gigai fall as he walked in and shoved Rin toward Rangiku. "Keep her here."

"What is going on Captain?"

"Her brother thought he could take her."

Rin fell to the floor as she was overtook with sobs. "I don't know why you are all going through all this trouble. The training isn't working the second I saw his eyes I froze and forgot all of it! Why not just let him take me and let me die? Wouldn't that be easier!?"

Ignoring her please Toshiro turned and walked toward the door. "That will never happen. Ordered too or not, not one person here would have just handed you over to him. We aren't like that Rin, we aren't like your brother was. We will fight to the death to protect those that cannot protect their selves. Why do you think that you are so unworthy of someone caring about you?" Then he was gone.

Rin just starred at the door after he shut it again. She could still feel Kaiza's power. She knew he was using his fire. That fire that caused so much fear in her life, and so much pain. Finally after a moment she dropped her head as she started shaking. Her energy spiking to its fullest sending everyone in the store to the floor. "If I was so worthy of a person then why couldn't I save them from him!"

X

Ryutsuji smiled as he stood on the other side of Karakura Town. That energy felt so fantastic! An equal to what Risaka had. And once they extracted it and split it between them, they would be able to take down not only his brother. But the Soul Society as a hole!

"That is refreshing to feel isn't it? And one day that will all be ours."

Nodding Ryutsuji put his arm around his wife. "One day soon. But for now we need to save Kaiza from Byakuya."

Blinking Risaka looked up at him as she cocked her head off to the side. "Why do you say that? I thought we were going to let him die?"

"We are. But I have something I need him to do. Then after that I will order him to attack again to get his sister with double the men he has now. And while he is busy falling to Byakuya's Zanpakto, then we will swoop in and take Rin out from under their noses and take that power for our own."

"How long?"

"A few weeks more." Ryutsuji then hardened his eyes as he felt his twin's power flare as he joined the fight. "It is time that we go. This close to us he will sense me and then charge in. We might hurt him now but not kill him. He needs to be weak compared to me. Not equal."

Smiling up at her husband as she turned and walked side by side with him through a portal. "Whatever you say my dear."


	8. Chapter 8

Rangiku struggled to get over to where Rin sat hugging herself. Her power was beyond impressive. Now she understood why Yamamoto told her to only go half in the soul society. Finally reaching her she shocked her out of her train of thought by slapping her. Once the pressure was gone Rangiku stood up breathing heavy as she glared down at Rin. "When are you going to stop acting like your brother is the freakin king of the world? You act like no one is stronger than him. You already know he lied about Byakuya and whey he gave up being a soul reaper. Try giving faith in someone else and you just might see how big of a chump your brother really is!"

Her eyes wide as tears streamed down her face Rin could only stare at her. She was right. But she had good reason too. She used to think her father was the most powerful person in the world. Until the night she was forced to watch as with ease Kaiza killed not only him but her mother as well. Bowing her head she sighed. "You haven't seen what I have with Kaiza. What do you really expect me to do Rangiku when as a little girl you watch as your older brother slaughters your parents with ease and then laughs about it.? I had never see anyone as strong as Kaiza was that day! How am I not supposed to think like that!?"

Not softening her face or her tone Rangiku didn't budge. "How about wanting to meet someone stronger so they can take your brother out and make your life better? How about wanting to avenge your parents? How about just plain wanting to go home to your grandfather? You have to WANT to meet someone stronger than your brother to do any of that. How about you open your damn eyes!"

With each word that Rangiku said Rin's eyes were going wider and wider. She was right in a sense. If there was someone out there strong enough to stand up to her brother then her nightmare would end. She would be able to go home with her grandfather. She wouldn't have to constantly look over her shoulder for everything. Dropping her head as tears rushed from her eyes. "I'm sorry." Then she jumped up and ran to the room she shared with the rest of the girls and closed the door as she sat in a corner and cried. Her whole life has been NOTHING but pain and suffering. 'Maybe if I could manage to sneak out while they are all sleeping then I can go to my brother. I hate him. I want his head to roll. But I doubt that will ever happen. I just want the pain to end.'

X

Walking through the door to see a rather steaming Rangiku standing in the middle of the living room Toshiro arched his eyebrows. "Rangiku?"

"I know we are supposed to be the ones protecting her but she has got to get over this 'no one can beat my brother' crap." Rangiku's iced blue eyes were focused and serious. "Just so you know Captain, I did slap her and I did lecture her. I just couldn't take it anymore. That downed attitude."

With a sigh Toshiro turned and took the art supplies from Orihime and sighed. "Everyone stays here this time." Then before the three stooges could utter a protest he was gone down the hall going toward Rin. Opening the door he sighed. "Come on."

"I changed my mind. I would rather stay here."

"It is not a choice anymore. Get up."

Looking up at him with tear filled eyes Rin glared. "So what now am I going to be treated like a captive and can't even make my own choices?"

Walking over to her and pulling her up to stand next to him his green eyes were soft as he spoke. "That is not the idea. I know what it is like to wallow in pain and frustration for not being able to stop anything."

"Huh?" Rin's eyes were extra wide as more tears spilled from her blue ones. "How did you…."

"It wasn't hard for me to figure out. Lets go." He then turned and made a portal to the ice cap and pulled her through it with him. "You can distress and paint as I tell you how I know what no one else there knows. My past is not that much unlike yours."

X

Walking back in the front room with a smile and her arms crossed Rangiku sighed. "Well this is going to bring a change in her I am sure." Then her eyes opened with a mix of pitty and anger when Yumichika, Izuru and Ikkaku were in her face. "What?"

"Where did they go!?"

Walking around them with a smile. "Somewhere. Not sure. I didn't hear him say. But if the three of you try for one second to follow them then Haineko will shred your asses to pieces. You don't see what is going on there but I bet the rest of us do."

Looking back at her with a conceded smile Yumichika crossed his arms. "Don't bet on that Rangiku. Toshiro is so…." Then his eyes went wide as he put the two up next to each other. "NO! I won't allow it! He can't!"

Winking back at him Rangiku smiled. "Too late. Him for her. Her for him. It has already happened and I doubt the three of you are going to change their mind."

With startled gasps Ikkaku and Izuru look at her with shocked eyes. "You have got to be kidding!"

Shaking her head Rangiku smiled as she sat in a chair at the table. "I am not. Ask anyone else here. Even Byakuya has to have seen it."

Turning to where he now sat in a chair the three were still wide eyed. Byakuya sighs as he half smiles. "A Lieutenant and two seated officers. You are talented in fighting and yet you lack common sense. If you focused on reading body language you would have seen it already."

Everyone laughed when the three just looked at each other then passed out in the floor. Rangiku reached over and pushed on Izuru's face with her foot. "Out cold. Now maybe it will be quiet."

X

Sitting on top of a mount of ice and snow Toshiro watched as Rin's shoulders relaxed when she started to paint. Then he sighed. "It was the hurt in your eyes that gave it away whenever you would talk about your brother. The same pain and hurt that shined in my eyes when I was small. And no doubt over the same reason as you."

"What do you think that is Toshiro?"

"The pain of watching as someone you loved took the lives of others that you loved and you were powerless to stop it."

Gasping as she dropped her paint brush she turned and looked at him with wide shocked eyes. "Who told…"

"No one. I went through it myself. My twin brother murdered my parents in front of me and I while I was strong enough too, experience is what I was lacking and I froze. For years I feared what he might do when he left that day. I feared that he might come back and try to do the same thing to me that he did to our parents. But as time went on I didn't stay thinking like that as you have. That fear turned to as rage at the way he murdered them. And then I let others into my life and the want to protect them has driven me to get stronger than my brother so that I can protect those I have let in my life."

Her yes going down cast she sighed. "That is the scariest part of all. The thought of letting someone in and not being able to stop him again is what scares me the most." 'Letting you die would be horrible for me. I have to leave. Tonight.'

With a sigh Toshiro let her turn and continue painting. He could see that brain of hers working and knew what was going on. What was worse was that he was losing the fight to her. He was so lost to her now that he knew that if someone else was to have her he would go insane. 'I will tell her tonight. Worst that happens she tells me no.'

X

After they woke the trio up Rangiku turned to Ichigo and the others as she sighed. "So just as soon as the battle started we felt it stop. What happened?"

Byakuya was the one to answer her as he glared at the floor. "Another pair of fire users showed up and whisked Kaiza and the men he had away. The red eyes of the guy looked familiar to me but I can't place it. That happened just before Toshiro showed up to fight with us again."

"So nothing happened."

"Even if we would have killed Kaiza, the one he is working for is the real threat. This assignment would have not been over."

"Have you told Yamamoto?"

"We sent a Hells Butterfly."

X

"But My Lord!"

Glaring Ryutsuji crossed his arms. "That wasn't supposed to be a blown out fight. I taught you to use your powers without them being felt so you could swoop in and grab her and leave and you are incapable of doing that because Byakuya was there. Now it is time for plan b."

"What is plan b?"

"Give it a few days and then we are going to dispatch of your grandfather."

"My grandfather?"

"After you make him write a letter to Rin and telling her to come home that he needs her. Understood?"

Smiling Kaiza nodded. "Ambush her. We can do that."

"Just don't fuck up this time."


End file.
